Checking the TSM Scheduler for Windows

In order for TSM to perform an automatic scheduled backup, the TSM scheduler must be running on the client machine during the allotted scheduled window. By default, the TSM Scheduler is installed and set to run during the installation of the TSM software. However, it may not be working as required for a number of reasons listed below. This page will help you check the status of the Scheduler service and to troubleshoot some common causes for failure.

You have recently changed your TSM node's password and have not updated the TSM scheduler with this new password.

You have registered a new nodename for the machine, and updated TSM, but the scheduler is still using the old name.

The TSM client scheduler was not set up during the installation because the installer detected that a large amount of data was present, too much for a single backup session.

There was a problem during the installation and so the TSM scheduler was not installed correctly.

If your scheduled backups have worked in the past, then the latter two reasons are unlikely.

To view the status of your TSM scheduler, do as follows:

Right-click on the "My Computer" icon and select [Manage].

Expand the option "Services and Applications".

Click on Services to display the list of installed Windows services.

Browse the list of services for any services beginning with TSM (they are listed in alphabetical order).

Depending on the services which you find, please take the correct action, as listed below. What you need to do depends on the version of TSM that you are running.

If only "TSM Client Scheduler" is listed then you have the correct TSM service running. Do as follows:

Check that the service is Started and that its startup type is set to Automatic. If either of these is not set correctly then your schedules will be missed. If necessary, double-click on the service to fix the problem. If the issue was that the scheduler was not set to automatic, then your problem has probably been fixed - the scheduler was not running at system startup. If the scheduler was stopped then that may be a symptom rather than a cause, so please continue to the next part of this section.

Browse to C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient and double-click on dsmerror.log.

If you see the following message:

02-07-2010 10:09:38 ANS0299E Scheduler cannot be started manually because the value of MANAGEDSERVICES option is SCHEDULE.

This means that you have an old TSM setting and need to remove it. Please do as follows:

In the same location (C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient), look for the TSM configuration file, dsm.opt.

If you are running any of Windows Vista, 2008 or 7, drag dsm.opt to your desktop. Otherwise Windows will not let you save it after editing.

Double-click on dsm.opt; by default Windows will not recognise the file type, so when prompted choose [Select a program from list] and click OK.

From the list of programs chose Notepad and click OK.

dsm.opt will open in Notepad.

Check for a line that begins with "MANAGEDSERVICES"; if it exists delete the entire line.

Click on [File], [Save] to save the changes.

Close Notepad.

If you are running any of Windows Vista, 2008 or 7 and so dragged dsm.opt to your desktop, now drag it back to C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient.

If both "TSM Client Acceptor" and "TSM Client Scheduler" are listed then you are probably running an old version of TSM. Ideally you should upgrade to the most recent version of TSM, TSM 6.1.

Check the version that you are running via [Help] > [About TSM].

If it is TSM 5.4 or 5.5:

Go to the downloads page and upgrade to the most recent version of TSM.

If there is no current version of TSM for your version of Windows, check that the TSM client acceptor is Started and that its startup type is set to Automatic; the TSM client scheduler should be set to Stopped. Then follow the instructions to update an existing TSM scheduler.

If it is TSM 6.1, please follow these instructions to remove the services:

Check the TSM configuration file for MANAGEDSERVICES, and remove it if present:

Browse to the location of the TSM configuration file, dsm.opt (C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient).

If you are running any of Windows Vista, 2008 or 7, drag dsm.opt to your desktop. Otherwise Windows will not let save it after editing.

Double-click on dsm.opt; by default Windows will not recognise the file type, so when prompted choose [Select a program from list] and click OK.

From the list of programs chose Notepad and click OK.

dsm.opt will open in Notepad.

Check for a line that begins with "MANAGEDSERVICES"; if it exists delete the entire line.

Click on [File], [Save] to save the changes.

Close Notepad.

If you are running any of Windows Vista, 2008 or 7 and so dragged dsm.opt to your desktop, now drag it back to C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient.

You should now have performed enough troubleshooting to ensure that you know why the scheduled backup was missed and hopefully put corrective measures in place to ensure subsequent scheduled backups are successful. If you have been unable to determine the likely cause of why the backups are being missed then please follow these steps for Logging calls with the HFS Team with the appropriate amount of data.

If you have not already done so, we recommend that you run a manual backup.